Update on Portsmouth's reserve-team proposals heading into the upcoming season

Pompey’s plans to enter a reserve league look set to be pushed back a year.
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While a new under-23s group wouldn't have been created to fulfil fixtures – as is the case at many other clubs – a combination of fringe players and youngsters would be handed game time to gain match fitness and impress.

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Being in a league would have provided the reserves with an additional 12 fixtures on top of the Premier League, Central League and Hampshire Senior cups commitments they had last season.

However, with the upcoming League One campaign starting later than usual on September 12, it means fixtures will be congested. There could be up to 11 midweek games.

That means participating in a reserve league is not currently feasible, although Pompey will look to organise extra matches when possible.

Player development coach Mark Kelly said: ‘It's about what squad shapes are looking like with the salary cap and things.

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‘If there are full groups there then it'd be nice to link with some of the clubs around us locally to go and get some games on a Tuesday morning.

Reeco Hackett-Fairchild would benefit from Pompey's proposed reserve team set-up after being unable to break into the first-team since his January arrival. Picture: Paul Thompson/ProSportsImagesReeco Hackett-Fairchild would benefit from Pompey's proposed reserve team set-up after being unable to break into the first-team since his January arrival. Picture: Paul Thompson/ProSportsImages
Reeco Hackett-Fairchild would benefit from Pompey's proposed reserve team set-up after being unable to break into the first-team since his January arrival. Picture: Paul Thompson/ProSportsImages

‘It's about trying to get the balance right. I think we are probably one season too short for a reserve league at the moment.

‘When the season starts, there is a high volume of games very quickly that is going to hit us.

‘You put yourself in a defined reserved league at this point, you're going to overflood everything.

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‘We've got to manage that. It'll be more looking at Tuesdays and thinking "right, we need to find a game" whether it's behind closed doors in-house and with the players out on loan as well.

‘It's about managing things internally but is still a major part of the planning going forward. It's just that we've been thrown quite a few curveballs this year that we've got to be careful we don't flood ourselves with games.

‘We've got to manage things as we go along. There are a few unanswered questions from the EFL depending on what we'll be able to do, which is well publicised.

‘But we still will be focusing on how we can grow that area.’

Youngsters such as Reeco Hackett-Fairchild and Haji Mnoga would benefit from more frequent reserve games if they remain on the periphery of Kenny Jackett’s side.